The African Union (AU) has agreed to a United Nations (UN) request to extend the mandate of its military mission in Sudan's violent Darfur region until the end of 2006, its chairman Denis Sassou Nguesso says.

Germany could be hit by a late blow ahead their World Cup semi-final with Italy after FIFA asked to see footage that apparently shows influential midfielder Torsten Frings hitting Argentinian striker Julio Cruz in the free-for-all that took place after the quarter-final.